[The following is condensed from annotations of Rev. Pablo Pastells,
S.J., in his edition of Colin's Labor evangélica.]
The college of San Felipe de Austria was founded by Sebastián Hurtado
de Corcuera, at the instance of the ayuntamiento of Manila, and was
annexed to the college of San José of Manila. The cabildo proposed
to Corcuera, December 15, 1640, that eighteen royal fellowships
and two college servants be assigned in the college of San José or
Santo Tomás, which were to be given as a reward to those possessing
greatest merit and highest rank, because of the great poverty of many
of the children and descendants of those who had performed the greatest
services for the crown in Filipinas. In view of the fact that there are
two universities in Manila, Corcuera is asked to confer in regard to
the matter, "so that in the college which his Lordship shall assign,
of the two above-mentioned, there be eighteen fellowships, and two
college servants--twenty in all--and that to them be appointed those
who shall deserve it most and those of the highest rank, with the
beca and gown that shall be regarded as fitting, in order that they
may be recognized as such, and which shall be different from those
worn by the other students. For their support and clothing, a sum of
three thousand pesos shall be set aside annually." The graduates were
to succeed, after passing competitive examination, to the canonries
of the Manila cathedral.
Corcuera signed the decree founding the college, December 23, 1640,
and the direction of the same was given to the Jesuits. By that decree,
twenty fellowships were created, and six Pampango college servants
provided for. The turn of four thousand pesos was assigned for their
support, 3,000 being for the twenty fellowships, and the remaining
1,000 for one master and the six servants. Provision was made for
this sum from four hundred of the general licenses which were issued
to the Sangleys, granting them permission to remain in Manila.
January 19, 1641, Corcuera issued the rules and regulations for the new
college--thirty-three in number--after having conferred with Doctor
Diego de Rivera Maldonado; auditor of the royal Audiencia. These
rules and regulations provide as follows: [90]
1. There shall be twenty collegiates, "who must be the sons, grandsons,
or descendants of deserving persons who have served his Majesty in
these islands. The sons of the auditors of this royal Audiencia,
living or dead, and those of the royal official judges, and those
of all the war officers, great and small, shall always have the
preference; and in default of them, any others of these islands,
who possess the necessary qualifications. Said collegiates shall
be in the charge and under the care of the father rector, present
or future, of the said college; and no one shall enter the college
or be received therein unless he shall have presented a government
provision therefor to the said father rector."
2. The college servants shall be of influential Pampango families,
and they shall be taught "to read and write, and the Spanish language,"
and shall be given clerkships if they show aptitude therefor.
3. The collegiates must be of pure race and have no mixture of Moorish
or Jewish blood, to the fourth degree, and shall have no negro or
Bengal blood, or that of any similar nation, in their veins, or a
fourth part of Filipino blood.
4. The royal arms shall be placed above the principal door of the
college, and surrounding those arms the Latin words: Collegium regale
divi Philippi [Royal college of San Felipe].
5. The outside clothing worn by the collegiates shall be a gown of
blue and black silk, and a beca of purple velvet, and on the left
side an escutcheon with the arms of Castilla and Leon with the royal
crown above, and below, the fleece whence protrudes the cross of
Alcantara, edged at the points with gold. The sleeves and bonnet
shall be black. In the house they shall wear a garment of the same
silk and color in place of the gown. The college servants shall wear
a semi-cassock of the same silk material, with hat and girdle, with
the royal arms on the left side of the breast.
6. All that is necessary for the support and clothing of the
collegiates shall be given them, being paid for from the 150 pesos
assigned for each one. They shall each be provided with one silken
gown, one beca of purple velvet, one silken garment, one bonnet,
four pairs of sleeves of black taffeta, six shirts and six pairs of
linen breeches, twelve pairs of shoes, four pairs of cotton socks,
two pairs of breeches and two doublets, and one dozen linen collars.
7. Twelve of the collegiates shall be art students [pasantes de
facultad], and the other eight, grammar, but the governors may vary
the number of those in each branch at their pleasure.
8. The course shall take eight years, and shall comprise three in
arts and four in theology; and no collegiate may be more than seven
years in the said college and one year as a lodger, unless elected as
a conciliar the last year, after which he shall then be a lodger. Those
studying grammar shall remain nine years.
9. When there is a sufficient number who wish to be given a fellowship,
a competitive examination shall be held.
10. Until there are those who can compete for the fellowships, they
shall be appointed after taking an examination given by the three
fathers named by the rector.
11. All collegiates must take an oath of mutual defense in and out of
the college, and must defend the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin.
12. The collegiates must be given sufficient food, and on certain
feast days, viz., of Sts. Philip and James, St. Sebastian, and the
day of the Immaculate Conception, something extra.